Tag: Beauty Note

How To Kick Your Chocolate Cravings With Something Better!

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Chocolate is everyone ultimate bae, but lets not deny that it’s not great for our health, and definitely not our skin. So, in my continual efforts to be healthier and control my cravings, I switched to cacao, and I’m not mad at it. It tastes like dark chocolate which isn’t my favorite kinda chocolate but still feels like I’m getting a hit of sweetness, but it’s actually a superfood that’s bursting with antioxidants. And no – it’s not a typo, and it’s definitely not the same as cocoa…

Cacao VS Cocoa

Cacao (pronounced CU-Cow) is a raw powder, derived from the unroasted cocoa beans found most commonly in areas of South America and Ghana. What makes it different to cocoa, is cocoa has been roasted at a high temperature, which reduces the enzyme content and decreases its nutritional content as much as 90%. Cocoa powder is then often processed with sugar and other chemicals, which is what dehydrates your body and can trigger breakouts. Cacao retains all these beauty-boosting enzymes and is free of any refined sugar, here’s how it works:

For your skin: When applied onto your skin, cacao will give you an even complexion and a stunning glow as it increases blood flow and hydrates your skin. It’s ideal for any acne sufferers as its full of fatty acids and raw enzymes that boost skin cell renewal helping you get rid of any acne scars. As its high in antioxidants and vitamin C, it fights sign of premature aging while keeping your skin looking firm and youthful.

For your hair: If you incorporate cacao into your weekly diet, your mane will seriously thank you – we’re talking major volume and extra glossy locks. This is because cacao increases blood circulation, boosting growth while strengthening each strand of hair, helping to keep split ends at bay.

For your body: Love to sprinkle cacao nibs (think of them like chocolate chips, but instead they’re cacao) into our yogurt, smoothie, and porridge, as it lowers your blood pressure and reduces your risk of heart disease, not to mention it helps detoxify your body. It’s a serious mood booster too and actually releases the same gooey brain chemicals as when you’re falling in love. It’s packed with other minerals as well, like iron, magnesium, and calcium.

Favorite Cacao Recipes:

You can buy cacao as a powder or as nibs, either online or at your local health food store. We like this Raw Organic Cacao Powder from Amazon, $14.

Vegan Cacao smoothie
For the perfect post-gym or afternoon refuel, blend together 1 1/2 cups of almond milk, one banana, 1 tablespoon of oats, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of raw cacao. Serve over ice and enjoy.

Cacao Fudge
This sweet treat is actually super nourishing for both your skin and your hair. In a food processor, blend together 4 tablespoons of almond butter with 4 tablespoons of coconut oil. Then add 2 tablespoons of raw cacao, 4 tablespoons of raw honey, and a pinch of sea salt. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and pop it into the freezer for an hour, then break it into pieces and enjoy!

Cacao mask
This mask is amazing for acne-prone sufferers or anyone who wants a quick glow, as the cucumber will instantly brighten the skin and the cacao is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Start by mashing 1 avocado in a bowl until smooth, then stir in 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of cacao until well combined. Squeeze the juice of 3 to 4 slices of cucumber, ensuring the seeds make it into the mixture. Apply to your face, leaving it for 20 minutes before you rinse it off with warm water.

Let me know if you’ve already tried cacao in the comments below.

And also, what do you guys want to be officially called? Comment down below and head over to @BeautyLeeBar Instagram for more fun and cute posts!

Ditch Lip Injections With These 9 Hacks!

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I’m OBSESSED with having plump lips – the fuller the better is the general consensus! I literally can’t even scroll down my Insta feed without seeing a full, juicy pout staring me in the face. I know I dont’t need it, God blessed me in that department already but I love when my pout is fuller. So, here’re nine DIY concoctions, techniques, and (safe) tools you can use to enhance your lips for a more voluptuous look – they actually WORK!

1. Toothpaste: Probably the quickest DIY ever, and it’s so simple: cover your lips with a thick layer of toothpaste and leave it on for just 10 seconds! Wipe it away, et voila, a smooth, plump pout.

2. Cinnamon: Cinnamon’s been used in beauty for thousands of years, and because it stimulates blood flow so effectively, it’s one of the main ingredients in a ton of lip plumpers. For a lip plumper on the go, add a couple of drops of cinnamon oil to your FAV lip gloss. For a more intense effect, mix cinnamon powder with a moisturizer like Vaseline, olive oil, honey, or any balm, and apply this to your lips for a minute or so before removing with a damp towel. You’ll notice an intense tingling; this just means it’s working!

3. Overlining and Contouring: This is still my favorite hack to date, and I think it’s probably the most effective for faking fuller lips in just minutes. The technique involves contouring and drawing slightly outside your natural lip line. It also makes your lipstick last ALLL day!

4. Wasabi: Believe it or not, Wasabi isn’t just delicious with your sushi; it will plump up your lips in less than a minute too. It might feel a little uncomfortable, but it’s got to feel better than an injection!

5. Peppermint Oil: Like cinnamon, peppermint also causes a rush of blood to your lips. Mix peppermint oil with a little honey, apply to your lips and remove after one minute. Alternatively, add a few drops of peppermint oil to your lip balm or gloss and plump as you go.

6. Too Faced Lip Injection: This product really works, and I’ve been a fan of it for years! They’ve also released an extreme formula and colored gloss versions.

7. Cayenne Pepper: This can get pretty hot and spicy, so if you can’t handle the heat, you might be better sticking with cinnamon. Just mix a pinch of cayenne pepper with a teaspoon of olive oil (I’ve been tempted to use a few drops of sriracha in the past – I LOVE it!) and apply a thick layer of the mixture to your lips. Leave on for 1-2 minutes (or as long as you can last), before wiping it away with a damp towel.

8. Lip Plumping Suction Tools: Okay, these are definitely something you need to be careful with (from experience they can hurt a little), as you can bruise your lips if you use them too intensely. However, if ‘suffer to be beautiful’ is your motto then this is definitely an effective cosmetic alternative.

9. The Ultimate Plumping Mix: If you’re feeling daring, then a potent combination of some of the above ingredients gives you crazy good results! In a small container, combine ½ tsp of cayenne pepper, ½ tsp of cinnamon, a pinch of ginger powder, a drop of peppermint oil, and combine with 2 tsp of oil, like coconut oil or olive oil. Once the ingredients are well mixed, gently massage the mix into your lips for ten seconds and leave on for up to 2 minutes – if you can!

And finally (and most importantly!), just because bigger lips might be everywhere on Instagram, it doesn’t mean they’re the perfect look for every person! Everyone’s face is different, and we all suit different lip shapes and sizes, so I suggest you steer clear of the shot glass hack, or excessively using lip plumping devices. Not only can these cause short-term bruising, major swelling, and a lot of pain, but if done repeatedly they can destroy your lips’ natural collagen levels and weaken the skin tissue, causing a deflated look. So always be careful using unconventional methods. AND, that’s why I love lip contouring, it lasts all day and wipes away at night!

Which beauty hack is your favorite? Let me know if you have any other hacks in the comments below.

Broke Girl’s Guide: 7 Awesome Hacks To Save Money On Your Beauty Products

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If you’re obsessed with beauty as much as I am, it’s safe to assume that you’ve probably splurged on the latest product drop. If you haven’t convinced yourself that buying a new highlighter is way more important than your weekly lunch allowance, are you even a beauty addict? But what majorly bums me out is when I’ve fallen in love with the product – telling pretty much anyone who will listen, just how dope it is – then suddenly it’s gone. To help you out if you’re ever caught in this dilemma, I’ve got 7 super easy hacks to make your products last way longer so you don’t waste a dollar.

1) Don’t overuse your product 

One of the most common mistakes that everyone is guilty of is using way too much product. To make sure you don’t squeeze out a week’s worth of moisturizer in one go, follow this guide on how much you really need.

2) Get the most out of our your mascara

When your fav mascara is running low and you find yourself scraping the barrel, add a couple of drops of saline or an essential oil, like almond oil, to inject a little moisture back into the product. Just make sure you don’t pump the wand as this will actually add more air bubbles and bacteria into the tube, making it even drier. Another amazing hack is to use your old mascara wand as a brow brush. Simply soak it in some makeup remover so there’s no excess product hanging about.

3) Never forget to wash your brushes

I can’t tell you enough how crucial it is to regularly wash your brushes. Not only will it make them last waaaay longer, it’s also so much better for your skin as you’re not spreading any bacteria onto your skin that’s left on your brush.

4) Store your nail polish in the fridge 

To give your nail polish a longer shelf life, keep them cool by storing them in the fridge during the summer months, or all year round if you live in a desert. This will stop any clumps from forming and it won’t get all gooey. If your polish is already at that stage, you can also add a couple of drops of nail thinner into the bottle.

5) Oil up your razors

Even though razors seriously save us on a daily basis espicially when there isn’t anymore hair removing lotion, they’re not the cheapest tool in our beauty kit. So to make it last longer, after using your razor shake it dry and leave it to soak in baby oil. This will keep the metal from oxidizing, so it’ll stay sharper for longer.

6) Make your fragrance last

One of the most expensive items in my beauty cabinet is fragrance – if there’s one time I ignore a price tag it’s when I’m in the perfume aisle. So make sure you don’t keep your fragrance in your bathroom, as the steam from your showers will degrade the aroma. To make your perfume last longer throughout the day, apply an unscented lotion before applying the fragrance as it will hold the scent longer when it’s sprayed onto moist skin. Also, don’t forget an eau de toilette is less concentrated than a perfume, so the scent will fade a lot quicker.

7) Keep the lid

Another super easy way to make sure your product stays in prime condition is making sure you always put the caps back on them (even if you’re in a rush) and also making sure you close it properly. It will make your products like eyeliners, lip liners, mascaras, and lipsticks last so much longer, as it will stop any air or bacteria getting into it, preventing it from drying out.

Check out 10 genius beauty hacks that will save you more money, as well as how to heal a broken soul, I mean palette, here. Let me know if you have any other hacks in the comments below.

Broke Girl’s Guide: 10 Genius Beauty Hacks That Will Save You $$$!

Published on by Lee1 Comment

If you’re anything like me, you treasure your beauty products and want to make the most of every last brush, blush, and lipstick. A smashed palette is a worthy reason for a day off work, your FAV foundations stuck at the bottom of the bottle is cause for a tantrum. Besides the fact that I love makeup, I spend good money on it too, and don’t want a single drop to go to waste. So, with that in mind, here’re 10 genius hacks that will do everything, from save your eyelashes, fix your mascara, save your smashed powders and more…

1. Get Every Last Bit of Lotion

Cut open your beauty tubes to get all your beauty product out. This works on almost ANY plastic bottle! You’ll be amazed by how much is left inside when no more will seem to come out. Scrape out the leftover product from the top half that you cut off, and put it into the bottom half. You’ll then have a huge amount of product left to use, and you can seal it up again by pushing the top half over the bottom half.

2. Salvage Broken Powders

We’ve all lived the nightmare of watching in slow mo as our fav powder or eyeshadow drops slowly to the floor and shatters into tiny little pieces.

But, there’s good news! You can save your broken powder (don’t take them traveling!) with rubbing alcohol. Add a few drops at a time until the eyeshadow turns into a thick paste, then press it down firmly with a spoon or your finger. Leave it open for the alcohol to evaporate, when it does, your powder will be good as new.

3. Save Your Foundation

You found the perfect shade, the perfect coverage, and now it’s gone, but you can still see a good few dollars of foundation left at the bottom of the glass jar. Of course, the stupid pump won’t reach it. Remove the pump, tip the foundation upside down in a re-sealable pot and leave it for a few hours. When you return, the majority of the product will be waiting in the pot for you. Still more Foundation stuck inside the bottle? Add a little moisturizer and shake, et voila… Tinted moisturizer.

4. Fix Broken Lipstick

Nothing is messier than trying to apply lipstick when it’s broken. Fix it by gently melting the broken parts, put them back together, then place it in the fridge for around an hour to seal… Lipstick fixed.

5. Revive Your False Lashes

Make the most of your false lashes by cleaning and storing them properly to get up to 20 wears from them.

6. Don’t Waste Your Foundation

Never apply your foundation straight onto a beauty blender or sponge, it will soak up all your foundation. Instead, dot it over your face, and spread it with your fingers or a foundation brush. Then, use your makeup sponge as the final step to perfect and blend your foundation, contour, or concealer.

7. Freshen Up Toiletries

Think you’ve finished your shampoo, conditioner or body wash? Add some water to it and give it a shake, you’ll get more than a few more uses from them.

8. Rescue Your Lipgloss

Revive your fav lip gloss with warm water. When it gets to the stage you’re literally scraping the barrel, just put the lip gloss in a glass of hot water (not boiling). The leftover product will sink to the end of the tube where the wand can reach it.

9. DIY A Unicorn Glow!

Got glitters you never use, outdated bronzers and shadows, broken powders? Smash them up into a fine powder and mix it with a moisturizer or coconut oil for a homemade tinted or shimmering moisturizer.

10. De-Clump Mascara

Mascara going dry and clumpy? Add a couple of eye drops into the mascara, mix about, and it will be good as new for another week at least. In a pinch, a drop of hot water will do the trick.

Hope these hacks revolutionize how you save your beauty products! If you’ve got any other amazing ideas, I’d love to know: leave your tips in the comments